This article is a record of interviews conducted by first-year SPSF students with their seniors who completed graduation theses. For more details, please see here.

Interviewee: PENGPENG Cai (Department of Journalism, Year 4)
Interviewer: Shintaro Takagi (Department of Journalism)

Cai from the Department of Journalism mentioned her two foreign study experiences. First, Cai participated in a long-term exchange program in Indiana, USA. Her other experience was a short-term language program in Spain.

However, she had to overcome challenges while studying in a new environment. For her first experience in Indiana, she mentioned, “The most challenging part was the location.” The reason was her background, reflecting that, “I was born and raised in Shanghai and live in Tokyo, and living in the countryside in Indiana was a new experience.” She overcame this challenge by spending time “trying to adapt to the environment.”

On the other hand, Cai described her language study program as “shocking.” For her, it was a cultural shock to be constantly reminded of “risk management.” “You have to be cautious about your phone, wallet, all the time.”

Additionally, she noted that cultural differences were another challenge she faced in Spain. For example, “dinner starts from 9 and everything is late compared to Japan.”

Finally, Cai concluded the interview with a strong message of encouragement: “International students like me in Japan, you’re already thousands of miles away from home, why not go a little bit further.”